How to Begin Researching Your Ancestors

When you begin your research into your roots, or family tree, the task can seem daunting. It’s hard to know where to start and often, the information we receive from relatives is questionable. Verifying the facts can require expensive trips and much time spent in courthouses or other record keeping facilities. But before you invest that kind of time and money, start by finding out what you can from records available to you.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Family Members
• Computer
• Internet connection
• Genealogy software program

1. Start by writing down what you already know. This would include yourself, your spouses, parents and grandparents.
2. Talk to your relatives. Take notes as you talk. Confirm the facts that you have already written down. Have them talk about their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Any names, birth dates, death dates and locations should be written down.
3. Get on the Internet. Go to one of the many genealogy sites and search on the names you have. You may find that someone else has already done much of the work for you.
4. Download the GED files of any matching information you find. Contact the person who uploaded the information. Most genealogy researchers are more than happy to share information with long, lost relatives.
5. Use a program like Legacy or Family Tree Maker to help keep all the information straight. There are several free programs available on the net, with the offering from the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints being the one of the most popular.

Tips & Warnings

• Elderly relatives are an excellent source of family history, although sometimes unreliable. Often stories are passed down through generations that are embellished in the telling.
• Be prepared for surprises in your family tree. You may find that you’re not related to that famous person, or that some early members of your line led a scandalous life.
• The more genealogy research you do, the more you will want to find out more.
• Genealogy can be an expensive hobby. To be accurate, you will often have to visit other cities and states to get the documentation proving the information you have.
• Be sure to document any facts, i.e., marriage records, death certificates, etc., by making detailed records and photocopying the source documents if possible.
• Many people who upload genealogy files to the Internet have not thoroughly researched their information. Email the up-loader and ask what documentation they have and if they are willing to share.